The Hanhart 417 ES Heritage Flyback 39 & 42 is the result of direct feedback from collectors and enthusiasts, who requested a return to the classic black dial, the red HyCeram® pusher, and a column-wheel flyback movement in Hanhart’s iconic 417 ES model.
The dial of the 417 ES Heritage Flyback is closely modelled on the original Bundeswehr chronograph from the 1950s. It features a matte black finish with Arabic numerals and hands coated in Super-LumiNova® X2 C3, ensuring excellent readability in low-light conditions. The classic Hanhart layout includes totalisers at 3 and 9 o’clock: a 30-minute chronograph counter and a small seconds subdial. Both the minute and central seconds hands are bent at their tips to minimise parallax errors. The dial also revives historical fonts and the original Hanhart logo, creating a faithful reimagining of the vintage design.
At the heart of the 417 ES Heritage Flyback is the Sellita AMT5100 M hand-wound movement, notable for its column-wheel chronograph architecture and flyback function. The flyback allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted with a single push of the lower pusher, a critical feature for timing sequential events without interruption. The movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), offers a minimum power reserve of 58 hours, and is equipped with 23 jewels. It features hacking seconds and a stop-seconds mechanism for precise time-setting. The 42 mm version is fitted with a sapphire caseback, exposing the column wheel and Geneva stripes, while the 39 mm version has a solid, antimagnetic caseback.
The case is available in two sizes: 39 mm and 42 mm, both with a height of 13.3 mm. The 39 mm version measures 46 mm from lug to lug, while the 42 mm version extends to 49.75 mm. Both cases are crafted from brushed and polished steel, featuring sharply defined, highly polished bevels and a fluted bidirectional rotating bezel with a red insert-a signature Hanhart detail. The 39 mm variant is equipped with a solid, antimagnetic caseback, offering additional protection, while the 42 mm version includes a sapphire exhibition caseback. Both models have a screw-down crown with the historic “h” logo and a highly domed, convex sapphire crystal with internal antireflective coating. Water resistance is rated to 10 bar (100 metres), conforming to DIN 8310 standards.
The technical accomplishment of the Hanhart 417 ES Heritage Flyback lies in the integration of a column-wheel, flyback chronograph movement within a case that faithfully reproduces the dimensions and aesthetic details of the original 1950s military chronograph. The use of HyCeram® for the red pusher enhances durability while maintaining historical authenticity. The movement’s 58-hour power reserve and Hanhart’s stringent accuracy standards, averaging between 0 and +8 seconds per day across six positions, reflect a commitment to precision and reliability. The choice of a manual-winding mechanism, robust case construction, and clear, legible dial design positions the 417 ES Heritage Flyback as a technically accomplished reissue of a historically significant pilot’s chronograph.
The watches can be ordered online here: 417 ES Heritage Flyback 39 (2.590,00 €) & 417 ES Heritage Flyback 42 (2.590,00 €).
